Hame-fastener.



No. 674,53l.

Patented May 2|, I90! N. C. BENNETT &. H. J. COWGER. HAME FASTENER.

(No'flodeL) (Application filed Nov. 28, 1900.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NEWMAN C. BENNETT AND HENRY J. COWGER, OF ARBOVALE, WEST VIRGINIA.

HAM E-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,531, dated May 21,1901.

Application filed November 28, 1900. S i l NO. 38.028. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.- Y

Be it known that we, NEWMAN O. BENNETT and HENRY J. OOWGER, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Arbo vale, in the county of Pocahontasand State of West Virginia, have invented a new and usefulHame-Fas'tener, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hame-fasteners; and the object of the same isto provide simple and efi'ective means for connecting the lower ends ofhames and prevent accidental disconnection thereof, and also to have theimproved fastener so constructed that it can be easily andreadilypperated to release the hames when desired and whereby an adjustment may be quickly obtained to compensate for variations in thesizes of. collars and to change the degree of binding stress of thehames on the collar.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of theseveral parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of the lower portion of acollar andlower hame ends, showing the improved fastener appliedthereto. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the fastener, showingthe parts thereof disconnected. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal verticalsection of one of the members of the fastener, showing the locking-armthereof elevated. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section through aportion of the member shown by Fig. 3 with the locking-arm closed. Fig.5 is a detail perspective view of a modified construction for a portionof one of the fastener members.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a collar of ordinary form, only the lowerportion thereof being shown in the accompanying drawings, and 2indicates the hames, having the usual D or other loops 3 in the lowerends thereof.

The fastener comprises a locking member 4 and a coupling member 5, eachhaving an outer terminal hook 6, with an outer upwardly bent or curvedguard-finger 7, projecting over and in advance of the adjacent portionof the edge of the hook, the said hooks being engaged by the loops 3 andthe guard-fingers preventing the accidental disconnection of the saidparts. The hook 6 of the coupling member 5 has a swivel-eye 8 at thecenter of its inner end, and thereto is connected one of a series ofchain-links 9, which are adapted to be placed in adjustable engagementwith an outturned hook lOat the inner end of the locking member 4 andmovably carried by and integral with a locking-arm l1, pivoted in theinner end of a frame 12 and having the hook 6 integral with its Outerterminal. The locking-arm 11 is adapted to close into a recess 13 in theunder side of the frame 12 and has a lip 1% at its free end to preventit from entering the recess beyond a predetermined distance, the lipstriking against a portion of the frame beyond the outer end wall of therecess 13. Extending longitudinally of the rear edge of the freeextremity of the said locking-arm is a shouldered recess 15, and securedalong the adjacent side wall of the recess 13 is a fiat lockingspring16, having an elongated shoulder 17 to engage the recess 15 of the armto lock the latter closed in the frame. The spring 16 is secured at itsinner end, and secured to its outer free end is a transversely-extendingpin 18, which freely moves through the outer side of the frame and hasan outer headed end 19 in a circular recess 20. The spring 16 is of suchprimary arrangement that the elongated shoulder thereof will beautomatically forced into the recess 15 of the arm; but by pressing thepin 18 inwardly the shoulder of the spring will be released from therecess of the arm and the latter will be free to be opened. The innerend of the frame has two depending guards 21, one on each side and bothin transverse alinement, and when the arm 11 is closed into the framethe free end of the hook 10 will be located between and upwardly abovethe lower ends of the said guards 21, and it will be observed that whenone of' the links 9 is in engagement with the hook l0 and the arm 11 isclosed it will be impossible for the said link to become accidentallydisengaged from the hook. When the arm 11 is released and opened, theengaged link 9 will be free to slide or pull off the said hook 10. Bycausing one of the links nearer the swivel-eye 8 to engage the hook 10it will be understood that the members of the fastener will be drawncloser together and likewise the lower ends of the hames, and the numberof links can be increased, if desired, tofurther increase the range ofadjustment.

The improved device is strong and durable, can be easily operated in anykind of Weather, and is comparatively inexpensive in the cost ofmanufacture. The several parts of the members are also subject tomodification within the principle of the invention, and as an instanceof this kind the coupling member 5 (shown by Fig. 5) is an example. Thismember 5 is similar in construction to the member 5, heretoforedescribed, with the exception that the swivel 8 is dispensed with and aneye 8 is formed on the attaching end thereof for engagement with one ofthe links 9.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In ahame-fastener, the combination of a coupling member comprising a seriesof links having an outer attaching-hook, and a locking member having anouter attaching hook and depending guards near its inner end, saidguards being on opposite sides, an arm pivoted at its inner end to theinner end of the said locking member, and having adepending hook withits free end directed outwardly and adapted to freely move between theguards, the latter shielding the free end of the hook when the'arm isclosed, the hook having engagement with the links, and means fordetachably securing the arm in the locking member.

2. A hame-fastener comprising a coupling member having a series oflinks, and a looking member comprising a frame with a re cess therein, ashouldered lockingspring mounted on one longitudinal Wall of the saidrecess and having a transversely-extending operating-pinconnected to itsouter free end, the said pin having one end exposed through one side ofthe frame, and a locking-arm pivoted in the rear end of the frame andprovided with an inner hook and a shouldered recess in one side toreceive the shoulder of the spring.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own We have heretoafiixed our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

NEWMAN O. BENNETT. HENRY J. COWGER. Witnesses:

GEO. W. MALLOVV, GEO. W. CoWcER.

